Archive for December, 2009

You are currently browsing the archives of rayburkholder.com .

A Heartfelt Thank You To All Who Support MTM

As the year of 2009 slides into history, and we look back and reflect, we continue to clearly see the fingerprints of God’s leading on the Macedonian Teaching Ministry (MTM).

By God’s abundant grace and your faithful prayer and financial support, MTM conducted 6 different Bible conferences in 6 different Asian countries in 2009. All totaled, there were approximately 250 Asian church leaders, Christian workers and future missionaries discipled through these 6 different Bible conferences.

Due to all the focus on soul winning, there are more first generation Christians in the world today then at any other time in history since the time of Christ. Most all of the brothers and sisters that attend MTM conferences are first generation Christians and have never had the opportunity for discipleship. Your prayer and financial help is making it possible to fulfill one of the great gospel opportunities of our day….discipleship and Bible training. These dear first generation Christians are open, moldable, eager to learn, willing to share their faith, and grow in Jesus Christ. What a privilege and blessed opportunity God has set before MTM. Thank you for your co-laboring with MTM in making this all possible.

2009 Highlights 
 
Recently, MTM partnered with a student ministry team from the IGo Bible Institute to minister in Aizawl, India. What a thrill to see a former native student of MTM, now living as a dedicated missionary in the remote mountain regions of India. This same native missionary was our IGo student’s leader in hands-on village missionary experiences. What a blessing to see former MTM students now serving on the field and being a great example to our American IGo students.
.

Another MTM high light for 2009 was to return and work with the same coordinators for the second year. This took place in Bhutan as well as India. This is our heart to establish and maintain ongoing partnerships with these native coordinators. As deeper relationships are established with these native coordinators, it paves the way to take them deeper into the all things of Jesus Christ.

Looking Ahead Into 2010
 
As we look ahead into 2010 our hearts thrill at the open door that God has set before us. Already MTM has 6 different Bible conferences scheduled for the upcoming new year. Most all of these conferences are new coordinators in new locations. And the invitations just keep coming. MTM has teaching possibilities as far away as Malawi, Africa.
.

MTM is a faith-based ministry. MTM’s ability to disciple and spiritually equip native Christians to win their own unreached people to Jesus Christ is largely contingent upon your contributions to this ministry. All of your faithful contributions will be used to facilitate a training school of native church leader students in equipping them to take the gospel to where it has not yet been preached.

Thank you so much for your prayer support and financial support. By Gods faithful grace, MTM will teach faithful men who shall be able to teach others also ….so the gospel will be preached where it has not yet been preached. Contributions of any amount can be sent to:
.

IGo
198 W. Lexington Rd.
Lititz, PA 17543  USA

Please be sure to earmark your contribution for MTM. Thank you in advance for your prayer and financial contribution.

For Christ & The Nations,
Raymond Burkholder
IGO-MTM Director 

Posted by raymond5052 on Dec 14th 2009 | Filed in Archive | Comments Off

From Head Hunters to Soul Hunters

Mizoram state of India is located in the northeast between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Mizoram is the home of the Mizo ethnic people. Just a bit over 100 years ago they were head hunters. There was status quo among the young men to have a human head on display as proof of their warrior ability. The first missionary to enter this region of India was a young man (23 years old) by the name of William Williams in 1891. He was one of thousands that were sent out after the Welsh revival in Whales & England. (truly missions is hid in revival). One young man all for God, totally changed a whole ethnic race of people.To this very day in Aizawl (capital city of Mizoram) this great gospel change is clearly evident. The city of 340,000 people has more then 100 churches. As we drove the streets this past Sunday morning, business were closed, the streets were empty (normally there are traffic jams) people everywhere walking to church carrying their Bibles. One particular church denomination has their sisters beautifuly covered with white flowing veils. But there is more. The Mizo Christians love to sing. It is not unusual to hear beautiful harmonious Christian music as you drive the streets of the city. Many of the Mizo people have a passion for missions. One large church we visited has more then a 1000 missionaries on the field. Brother Zela (our coordinator) is only 26 years old and has his own missions training school. Truly these people have changed from head hunters to soul hunters in 100 years. And MTM gets the blessed privilege to come into this setting to teach on missions. In many ways we feel humbled and feel they ought to be teaching us Americans on missions. But on the other hand our Anabaptist faith and practice is a great challenge and encouragement to them as well.

Our IGo ministry team was made up of three different aspects of ministry all in one team. First, there were 5 IGo students on their sixth term ministry trip. They were Nathan King, Jeremy Martin, Kimberly Eshleman, Deanne Weaver & Twila King. After a very brief stay in Aizawl they drove 9 hours to a remote mountain region. After a three hour hike they arrived at a village where no westerner had ever been before. Their native leader was Brother Billy. He had been a student last year when MTM ministered at the same mission school. What a great joy to see former students now serving on the mission field. The IGo students ministry included visiting and praying for the sick, preaching and children’s ministry. Secondly there was the English teaching team. They were David Brown, Jana Burkholder (my daughter) and Shana Yoder (Val’s daughter). David came all the way from America to join our team. They taught two classes each day. One class with a group of nursing students and another class with the pre-missions students. Thirdly there was the MTM team. Val Yoder (IGo director) and myself  were teaching a class of pre-missions students. But we also ministered from time to time to a class of nursing students.
 
This ministry trip was especially memorial. This was the first time MTM partnered with the IGo student ministry trips. That truly was an added blessing and open the way for even greater witnessing for Jesus Christ. It is one thing for us older men to be teaching the Bible but there is a tremendous testimony to have young people with you who are living what we are teaching. To God be the glory !!!  
~ 

The IGo Aizawl Ministry Team Dressed in Traditional Mizo Dress

L-R Back Row – Nathan King, David Brown (David came from America to join the IGo team) Jeremy Martin, Val Yoder & Raymond Burkholder

Front Row- Deanne Weaver, Kimberly Eshleman, Twila King, Shanna Yoder & Jana Burkholder

Posted by raymond5052 on Dec 7th 2009 | Filed in Archive | Comments Off